Synopses & Reviews
Humanityandrsquo;s first reusable spacecraft and the most complex machine ever built, NASAandrsquo;s Space Shuttle debuted with great promise and as a dependable source of wonder and national pride. But with the Challenger catastrophe in 1986, the whole Space Shuttle program came into question, as did NASA itself, so long an institution that was seemingly above reproach. Wheels Stop tells the stirring story of how, after the Challenger disaster, the Space Shuttle not only recovered but went on to perform its greatest missions. From the Return to Flight mission of STS-26 in 1988 to the last shuttle mission ever on STS-135 in 2011, Wheels Stop takes readers behind the scenes as the shuttleandrsquo;s crews begin to mend Cold War tensions with the former Soviet Union, conduct vital research, deploy satellites, repair the Hubble Space Telescope, and assist in constructing the International Space Station. It also tells the heart-wrenching story of the Columbia tragedy and the loss of the magnificent STS-107 crew.
As complex as the shuttle was, the people it carried into orbit were often more soandmdash;and this is their story, too. Close encounters with astronauts, flight controllers, and shuttle workers capture the human side of the Space Shuttleandrsquo;s amazing journeyandmdash;and invite readers along for the ride.
Browse more spaceflight books at upinspace.org.
Review
and#8220;Tighten your seat belt for a wonderful ride of a read that tells the incredible tale of the dedicated people who helped push the throttle forward to make private space travel reality. Dubbs and Paat-Dahlstrom take a masterful and history-rich look at the true roots of space tourism, providing a needed course-correction for those who think off-Earth passenger travel is more giggle-factor than fact.and#8221;and#8212;Leonard David, Space Insider columnist, SPACE.com
Review
and#8220;Many books have been written about the history of spaceflight, documenting the efforts to enter space and#8216;for all mankind.and#8217; Realizing Tomorrow offers the first comprehensive history of what will be the future of spaceflightand#8212;and#8216;by all mankind.and#8217;and#8221;and#8212;Robert Pearlman, editor and founder of collectSPACE.com
Review
and#8220;Brimming with fascinating detailsand#8212;and never-before-told storiesand#8212;Realizing Tomorrow is a riveting account of the growth of commercial space. It is required reading for anyone who wants to know how a group of visionaries overcame great obstacles to pioneer the final frontier for profit.and#8221;and#8212;Douglas Messier, editor in chief of Parabolicarc.com
Review
and#8220;Realizing Tomorrow is the compelling story of the pioneers of commercial spaceflight and their efforts to open up the final frontier to everyone.and#8221;and#8212;Jeff Foust, editor and publisher of the Space Review
Review
"Tighten your seat belt for a wonderful ride of a read that tells the incredible tale of the dedicated people who helped push the throttle forward to make private space travel reality."and#8212;Leonard David, Coalition for Space Exploration
Review
"With the conclusion of the space shuttle program impending, the topic of private spaceflight has never been timelier. . . . This far-reaching, well-illustrated history oriented toward the future of spaceflight should catch many an eye."and#8212;Colleen Mondor, Booklist
Review
"Engle and Armstrong devotees wonand#8217;t be disappointed with the stories about their heroes in this tome."and#8212;American Space
Review
"The X-15 Rocket Plane is an engaging account of America's push into space before pilots became astronauts, and America began a new era of exploration beyond the Earth to the Moon."and#8212;Anthony Young, Space Review
Review
"[The X-15 Rocket Plane is] aand#160;cogently written and well-deserved tribute to the individuals who helped take a winged rocket beyond Earth's confining atmosphere."and#8212;John Carver Edwards, Book Verdict
Review
"The importance of the X-15 on the early exploration of space and the subsequent development of the Shuttle program cannot be overstated."and#8212;Book Bit, WTBF-AM/FM
Review
and#8220;Long before the space shuttle, the United States was flying astronauts with the courage of lions into space aboard wings of steel. This is the story of the astonishing X-15, Americaand#8217;s first space plane, which broke records nearly every time it flew. It is a magnificent tale, well told in this meticulously researched book. Everyone with an interest in aviation, space, or high-flying adventure should read it.and#8221;and#8212;Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys
Review
and#8220;This book gives a fascinating and superbly detailed look into X-15 technology and the dedicated people who first took a winged craft beyond the atmosphere. Along the way it teaches valuable and pertinent lessons for those of us in the private space sector now working to build on that phenomenal legacy.and#8221;and#8212;Rick Searfoss, colonel, USAF retired, space shuttle commander and pilot, XCOR Aerospace chief test pilot
Review
andquot;This is a remarkably fine work, one that, despite all the writings on the X-15 to date, has found its own authentic voice.andquot;andmdash;Richard P. Hallion,and#160;Quest
Review
"The social element in this splendid book adds much to the overall history of this remarkably successful research aircraft."and#8212;Mick Jeffries, Aerospace
Review
and#8220;A refreshing perspective on the universal thrust for space exploration.and#8221;and#8212;Colin Burgess, Outward Odyssey series editor and author of Liberty Bell 7: The Suborbital Mercury Flight of Virgil I. Grissom
Review
"This book is essential reading and perhaps the perfect companion to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's recently opened Atlantis exhibit."and#8212;Emily Carney, americaspace.com
Review
"This book is a welcome addition to the spectacular Outward Odyssey series and any space enthusiast's collection that does not carry itand#8212;is missing somethingand#160;vital.and#160;. . . [Boldand#160;They Rise]and#160;is at times gripping with the thrill found only in the "firsts" involved with anything to do with space exploration . . . a solid read which provides important information regarding NASA's program of record for more than thirty years."and#8212;Jason Rhian, spaceflightinsider.com
Review
"This book provides a fascinating, richly informed, and deeply personal view of a feat without parallel in the human story."and#8212;Bob Edmonds, McCormick Messenger
Review
and#8220;Read this book to experience the Space Shuttle as it matured. Smith and Hitt tap sources that made this aerospace wonderand#8217;s early history. Youand#8217;ll feel the needs and wants of those involved; the joys and sadness that came with conceiving, building, and flying this vehicle. Itand#8217;s a tripand#8212;I know.and#8221;and#8212;Charles D. Walker, engineer, corporate executive, first commercial industry astronaut, STS-41D, STS-51D, STS-61B
Review
and#8220;Although the shuttle program has now run its course, this wonderful book brings back the awe, the inspiration, the promise, and the sadness associated with the early history of those magnificent vehicles and the teams of ground and flight crews that flew them.and#8221;and#8212;Jerry L. Ross (Col., USAF, Ret.), NASA astronaut, STS-61B, -27, -37, -55, -74, -88, and -110, and author of Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASAand#8217;s Record-Setting Frequent Flyer
Review
and#8220;A rich, engaging account of the first years of the Space Shuttle era, Bold They Rise recounts the development and pioneering missions of a truly magnificent flying machine that helped open the door to space for scientists such as myself.and#8221;and#8212;Donald A. Thomas, NASA astronaut, STS-65, STS-70, STS-83, and STS-94
Review
"Houston preserves the candid reflections of some who wrote the shuttle's story aloft, and their exultations and confessions are reason enough to fly with them until "wheels stop.""and#8212;Air and Space
Review
"[An] enthusiastic portrayal of the heroic age of American space travel."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Review
"Houston focuses on themes and makes extensive (and effective)and#160;use of oral histories provided by astronauts and others."and#8212;J. Z. Kiss, CHOICE
Review
and#8220;When we talk about the Space Shuttle, we talk about the people. Author Rick Houstonand#8217;s work here takes it a step further. He reaches to the heart and soul of the people.and#8221;and#8212;Milt Heflin, former lead Space Shuttle flight director and chief of the flight director office
Review
and#8220;With the Space Shuttle program now at an end, documenting the amazing thirty-year career of these iconic orbiters holds an untold amount of historical importance. Spaceflight isnand#8217;t easy, people pay in blood and sweat to make it happen. Author Rick Houston lends a voice to some of the key people involved in what is not only an American treasure but a global superstar.and#8221;and#8212;Chris Bergin, managing editor, NASASpaceflight.com
Review
andquot;Space enthusiasts will enjoy this work.andquot;andmdash;CHOICE
Review
andquot;Highly recommended.andquot;andmdash;Midwest Book Review
Review
andquot;Rockets and Revolution brings a variety of new sources and a refreshing perspective into the debates about the cultural dimensions of spaceflight.andquot;andmdash;Slava Gerovitch, CritCom
Review
andquot;For anyone familiar with the history of spaceflightandmdash;particularly in Americaandmdash;this book will be immensely rewarding.andquot;andmdash;Hunter Hollins, Quest
Synopsis
U.S.A.F. Chief of Staff 2013 Professional Reading List Selectionand#160;
Nearly forty years passed between the Apollo moon landings, the grandest accomplishment of a government-run space program, and the Ansari X PRIZEand#8211;winning flights of SpaceShipOne, the greatest achievement of a private space program. Now, as we hover on the threshold of commercial spaceflight, authors Chris Dubbs and Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom look back at how we got to this point.
Their book traces the lives of the individuals who shared the dream that private individuals and private enterprise belong in space. Realizing Tomorrow provides a behind-the-scenes look at the visionaries, the crackpots, the financial schemes, the legal wrangling, the turf battles, andand#8212;underpinning the entire dramaand#8212;the overwhelming desire of ordinary people to visit outer space.
A compelling story of the pioneers of commercial spaceflightand#8212;and their efforts to open the final frontier to everyoneand#8212;this book traces the path to private spaceflight even as it offers an instructive, entertaining, and cautionary note about its future.
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Synopsis
Nearly forty years passed between the Apollo moon landings, the grandest accomplishment of a government-run space program, and the Ansari X PRIZE-winning flights of SpaceShipOne, the greatest achievement of a private space program. Now, as we hover on the threshold of commercial spaceflight, authors Chris Dubbs and Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom look back at how we got to this point. Their book traces the lives of the individuals who shared the dream that private individuals and private enterprise belong in space. Realizing Tomorrow provides a behind-the-scenes look at the visionaries, the crackpots, the financial schemes, the legal wrangling, the turf battles, and-underpinning the entire drama-the overwhelming desire of ordinary people to visit outer space. A compelling story of the pioneers of commercial spaceflight-both American and Soviet/Russian-and their efforts to open the final frontier to everyone, this book traces the path to private spaceflight even as it offers an instructive, entertaining, and cautionary note about its future. Chris Dubbs is the author of Space Dogs: Pioneers of Space Travel and the coauthor (with Colin Burgess) of Animals in Space: From Research Rockets to the Space Shuttle. Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom is the vice president of programs and curriculum at Singularity University based at NASA Ames Research Park. She is also partner and consultant for International Space Consultants and worked for clients such as Odyssey Moon Limited, Space Adventures Ltd., and International Space University. Charles D. Walker was a crew member on Space Shuttle missions 41-D, 51-D, and 61-B.
Synopsis
With the Soviet Unionandrsquo;s launch of the first Sputnik satellite in 1957, the Cold War soared to new heights as Americans feared losing the race into space.
The X-15 Rocket Plane tells the enthralling yet little-known story of the hypersonic X-15, the winged rocket ship that met this challenge and opened the way into human-controlled spaceflight.
Drawing on interviews with those who were there, Michelle Evans captures the drama and excitement of, yes, rocket science: how to handle the heat generated at speeds up to Mach 7, how to make a rocket propulsion system that could throttle, and how to safely reenter the atmosphere from space and make a precision landing.
This book puts a human face on the feats of science and engineering that went into the X-15 program, many of them critical to the development of the Space Shuttle. And, finally, it introduces us to the largely unsung pilots of the X-15. By the time of the Apollo 11 moon landing, thirty-one American astronauts had flown into spaceandmdash;eight of them astronaut-pilots of the X-15. The X-15 Rocket Plane restores these pioneers, and the others who made it happen, to their rightful place in the history of spaceflight.Browse more spaceflight books at upinspace.org.
Synopsis
Rockets and Revolution offers a multifaceted study of the race toward space in the first half of the twentieth century, examining how the Russian, European, and American pioneers competed against one another in the early years to acquire the fundamentals of rocket science, engineer simple rockets, and ultimately prepare the path for human spaceflight.
Between 1903 and 1953, Russia matured in radical and dramatic ways as the tensions and expectations of the Russian revolution drew it both westward and spaceward. European and American industrial capacities became the models to imitate and to surpass. The burden was always on Soviet Russia to catch upand#8212;enough to achieve a number of remarkable and#8220;firstsand#8221; in these years, from the first national rocket society to the first comprehensive surveys of spaceflight. Russia rose to the challenges of its Western rivals time and again, transcending the arenas of science and technology and adapting rocket science to popular culture, science fiction, political ideology, and military programs.
While that race seemed well on its way to achieving the goal of space travel and exploring life on other planets, during the second half of the twentieth century these scientific advances turned back on humankind with the development of the intercontinental ballistic missile and the coming of the Cold War.
Synopsis
After the Apollo program put twelve men on the moon and safely brought them home, anything seemed possible. In this spirit, the team at NASA set about developing the Space Shuttle, arguably the most complex piece of machinery ever created. The worldandrsquo;s first reusable spacecraft, it launched like a rocket, landed like a glider, and carried out complicated missions in between.and#160;and#160;
Bold They Rise tells the story of the Space Shuttle through the personal experiences of the astronauts, engineers, and scientists who made it happenandmdash;in space and on the ground, from the days of research and design through the heroic accomplishments of the program to the tragic last minutes of the
Challenger disaster. In the participantsandrsquo; own voices, we learn what so few are privy to: what it was like to create a new form of spacecraft, to risk oneandrsquo;s life testing that craft, to float freely in the vacuum of space as a one-man satellite, to witness a friendandrsquo;s death. A andldquo;guided tourandrdquo; of the shuttleandmdash;in historical, scientific, and personal termsandmdash;this book provides a fascinating, richly informed, and deeply personal view of a feat without parallel in the human story.
Browse more spaceflight books at upinspace.org.
About the Author
Chris Dubbs is the author of Space Dogs: Pioneers of Space Travel and the coauthor (with Colin Burgess) of Animals in Space: From Research Rockets to the Space Shuttle. Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom is the chief impact officer and executive vice presidentand#160;of operations at Singularity University based at NASA Ames Research Park. She is also partner and consultant for International Space Consultants. Charles D. Walker is a former crew member of Space Shuttle missions 41-D, 51-D, and 61-B.and#160;and#160;